EBE Chapter 665 Giving
Chapter 665 Giving
That pure and selfless devotion made his soul, long accustomed to solitude, feel an unprecedented sense of unease. He was even somewhat at a loss, unsure how to respond to this heavy yet beautiful emotion.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the inexplicable emotions welling up inside him, and forcibly changed the subject. "Ahem... there's no need for that." Zhang Hai's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment, but it quickly regained its usual authority. "Since you've signed a contract with me, you're destined to walk a path beyond that of ordinary people. From now on, I won't let myself easily fall into such dangerous situations again, and you don't need to worry about me." He paused, his tone becoming serious and earnest, with an encouraging undertone, "However, you must also strive to cultivate and constantly strengthen yourself. You must keep up with my pace to truly and forever stay by my side."
Bai's eyes lit up again upon hearing Zhang Hai's words. He knew Zhang Hai was giving him a promise, a goal he could strive for. The distance that had been pushed away was now being bridged again because of these words.
"Yes! Lord Zhang Hai!" Bai wiped away his tears, his eyes filled with determination and strength. "I will never waste time again! I will definitely cultivate diligently and become stronger until I can keep up with your pace!"
Seeing the renewed fighting spirit in Bai's eyes, Zhang Hai's panic subsided slightly. He knew he couldn't stay here any longer; Bai's emotions were too pure and too intense, making even someone as detached as him struggle to cope.
“Very good.” Zhang Hai responded briefly, then his figure began to blur, as if pulled by an invisible force, rapidly disintegrating. He left Bai’s pure and innocent spiritual world with a sense of escape.
……
Meanwhile, deep within the Akatsuki's secret base, Konan, following Zhang Hai's directions, had entered a dark and deep underground passage. The tunnel wound its way through, the air thick with a damp and decaying smell, the uneven rocks beneath her feet seemingly leading to another unknown world. A deathly silence enveloped her, broken only by the soft echoes of Konan's footsteps in the empty tunnel. Chakra swirled around her, she vigilantly sensed everything around her, the piece of paper in her hand poised to transform into a sharp blade at any moment. Despite her deep-seated resentment towards Orochimaru, Zhang Hai's orders and her own yearning for power forced her to bury this resistance deep within her heart.
After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the tunnel finally came to an end. Ahead lay no longer a solid rock wall, but an invisible barrier shrouded in a faint purple aura. Konan knew this was the barrier Zhang Hai had spoken of. Following Zhang Hai's instructions, she concentrated her chakra at her fingertips and lightly touched the barrier. A barely perceptible ripple spread across the barrier, and then, like waves on water, it parted, creating a gap. Without hesitation, Konan stepped into it.
Within the barrier, the space opened up dramatically. It was a vast underground space, its walls illuminated by faint chakra lamps. A faint scent of herbs and reagents filled the air, mingled with a subtle, almost imperceptible, sweet tang. Various experimental equipment, glasswares, and biological specimens preserved in formalin were scattered throughout. A tall, slender man with a sinister face and serpentine eyes stood with his back to her, before an experimental table, toying with a test tube in his hand. It was—Orochimaru.
Orochimaru sensed Konan the moment she entered the barrier. His narrow, golden eyes narrowed slightly, and a barely perceptible smile curved his lips. The newcomer was Konan, the "angel" of the Akatsuki. He didn't turn around, but slowly twirled the test tube in his hand, seemingly unsurprised by Konan's arrival. However, deep within his heart, an indescribable sense of unease permeated the air.
Konan's appearance was undoubtedly an "arrangement" by some being. And in this ninja world, the only one Orochimaru would willingly accept as an arrangement was that one person. He recalled the time he spent researching with Zhang Hai, those were his freest years, when he was most able to touch the truth. Zhang Hai's power and mystery always ignited his deepest yearning for power and knowledge. Now, his former partner had only sent a young girl, leaving him somewhat disappointed.
"It seems an uninvited guest has intruded into my domain." Orochimaru spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and magnetic, carrying a hint of coldness. He finally turned around, his icy snake eyes fixed on Konan.
Facing the man who had once filled her with disgust and fear, Xiao Nan took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. She knew she bore Zhang Hai's mission and had to face him bravely.
"Lord Orochimaru." Konan bowed respectfully, then mustered her courage, looked directly into Orochimaru's eyes, and relayed Zhang Hai's words word by word, "I was sent by Lord Zhang Hai to learn ninjutsu from you." She paused, then said the crucial sentence: "Lord Zhang Hai said that he owes you two and a half years, and he will repay you in the future..."
Upon hearing the address "Lord Zhang Hai" and the phrase "two and a half years," a complex light flashed deep within Orochimaru's eyes. Two and a half years... that was indeed the research period he and Zhang Hai had agreed upon, but it had been interrupted for various reasons. Zhang Hai had indeed not forgotten.
Orochimaru's lips curled into a meaningful smile again. "Oh? Was this Zhang Hai's arrangement?" He strode over to Konan, his snake-like eyes scrutinizing her from head to toe as if examining an interesting experimental subject. His tone carried a hint of arrogance, but there was no sign of refusal. "Hmph, not just anyone is qualified to be personally taught by me, Orochimaru."
He walked to a table with scrolls on it and casually picked one up. "However, since it's his request..." Orochimaru's voice trailed off, laced with a lazy yet oppressive tone, "then I'll give you a chance. My student, Mitarashi Anko, is on a mission nearby. If you can defeat her without harming her, I'll acknowledge your qualifications to be my student. Otherwise..." He didn't finish, but the threat was unmistakable.
Konan's heart tightened. Mitarashi Anko, a special Jonin of Konoha and one of Orochimaru's disciples, was a force to be reckoned with. But since this was Zhang Hai's arrangement, she had no reason to back down.
"Yes! Lord Orochimaru!" Konan replied without hesitation, her eyes shining with determination. She took the scroll from Orochimaru's hand, turned, and left the underground laboratory filled with an eerie atmosphere.